


In the Hot Seat

by Lady_Anon_x



Series: High I.Q Yet Totally Stupid [2]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Banter, Cute, F/M, Games, High IQ, Hyperthymesia, Idiots in Love, Oblivious Spencer Reid, Pre-Relationship, spencer reid is in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:35:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29144559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Anon_x/pseuds/Lady_Anon_x
Summary: Spencer and Hallie play a round of 'Hallie's Hot Seat' before the rest of the team arrives.
Relationships: Spencer Reid/Original Female Character(s)
Series: High I.Q Yet Totally Stupid [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2139099
Kudos: 16





	In the Hot Seat

Hallie was sitting at her desk across from Spencer as they were filling out their reports from the case they finished yesterday. It was cold today, so she had to wear one of her heavier oversized flannels, the sleeves were cuffed so they didn’t fall over her hands unless she pulled them down, underneath was an oversized white t-shirt, black jeans and her biker boots. She loves oversized clothes; they were the epitome of comfort.

Spencer leaning back in his chair, his right ankle resting on his leg, bright lilac sock on display from under his trousers, his file was sitting open, resting on his leg. He looked up at Hallie who was chewing on the end of her pen and he got an idea. He checked his watch, it was only eight forty-five, so he grabbed a blank piece of paper from his desk and scrunched it up before throwing it at Hallie’s head, “July 29th, 2000.”

Hallie felt something gently smack her on the head and she looked up with an unheated glare at the man in the opposite desk. They played this game a lot, Spencer would give her a date and she had to tell him facts about that day. She hasn’t been wrong yet. Except for when she genuinely didn’t know the answer.

She smiled and grabbed the paper ball on her desk. “July 29th, 2000. Hmmm. Well, I was nineteen. It was a Saturday. Sunrise was at 6:00am, sunset at 7:56pm, in L.A that is.” She twisted the bottom of her hair and she swung her chair side to side, “I was working on my psychology, anthropology and sociology dissertations’.” she recounted and launched the paper ball back at Spencer which he managed to catch before it smacked into his nose.

He rolled the ball in his hands, humming as if he didn’t believe her, “What were the topics?” he asked as he threw the ball back and Hallie caught it in both hands.

She slouched in her chair smiling as she brought the memory of that day to her mind, “My psychology dissertation was about how memories are stored in the brain and how much can we remember from our pasts, false memories and the like. I wanted to know why I have hyperthymesia but Darren beside me forgot what he ate for breakfast?”

Spencer’s lips tugged at the sides as he watched her hands wave in the air when she spoke. He was so enamoured by her that he didn’t realise when Morgan, Prentiss and Hotch entered the bullpen.

“My anthropology dissertation was about different burial customs. For example, did you know that in Ireland they have a wake? Where they are taken to their family home after death and the casket stays there for three days where people can visit, a candle or lamp must be on at all times and all mirrors are covered to stop evil spirits from coming into the household.”

Hallie was so enthusiastic about the topic that Spencer didn’t want to mention that he did actually already know this.

“I also wrote about language and linguistics, specifically on how people say certain words, why people emphasise, why did they use three words when two would have sufficed? And then my sociology dissertation was about Adopted Child Syndrome. Out of five hundred serial killers in the U.S over half were found to be adopted. Since only two to three percent of Americans, which is only five to ten million, are actually adopted.” She let that point speak for itself. “Adopted Child Syndrome is a well-used defence tactic, since the child grows up with bonding issues, attachment issues, hating a higher authority until they commit acts of violence. That dissertation was my baby.” Spencer laughed at her comment, knowing the feeling.

"Oh, also Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston got married.” She threw the paper ball into Spencer’s bin that was beside his desk.  
“I feel like I’m Belgian, because I just got served a big pot of booyah.” She held her arms out in a victory stance and made a face at Spencer who threw his hands up in surrender.

He was in love. No doubt about it. He loved the way her hair looked like fire in the sun, her eyes like emeralds, never seen without her signature flannel and how they were able to talk about random facts for hours.

“Playing ‘Hallie’s Hot Seat’ again?” Emily’s voice made Spencer jump and almost drop the file on his leg. Emily walked past and took her spot on the isle across from Hallie and Morgan sits opposite her.

Hallie shrugged one shoulder, “Just passing the time before we’re forced to stare at case files all day.”

Morgan mutters as he looks under piles of paper and files, “I don’t suppose you could look into that brain of yours and remember where I put my draft report from the Benedict case?” he asked half serious.

Hallie stood up and stretched and grabbed her coffee mug, “Sorry, I only remember important things.” Emily snorts and gives her a high five as she walks past and grabs Spencer’s mug off his desk, “Refill?”

“Ah, yes. Please. Thank you.” Spencer stutters as he spins in his seat and watches her walk away.

“Hey, Pretty Boy?” Morgan quietly called him.

Spencer hummed in response as he watched until Hallie was out of sight before spinning to look at Morgan. “Yeah?”

“Just ask her out already.” He suggested.

Spencer exhaled out through his nose in a kind of self-depreciating snort as he took out his glasses and put them on. “Yeah. Right.”

“What?” Morgan questioned his laugh.

Spencer sighed as he put the file on his desk and straightened up in his chair, “Because there is no way that _she_ would be interested in _me_.”

Morgan sat back and gave Emily a surprised look that she was mirroring.

“You are kidding right?” Emily asked him, “Who else would sit with you and correct different phrases.”

“’Needle in a haystack’ makes no sense, it would stand out. While trying to find a specific needle in pile of needles is a lot more difficult.” Spencer scowls at her.

Emily waves her hand at him, “That’s not the point, Reid. You two were practically made for each other.”

“What are we talking about?” Hallie asked as she took a gulp of her coffee and held Spencer’s out to him. Spencer smiled awkwardly as he took the mug from her hand and he quickly took a sip of it, so he didn’t have to answer.

“Reid was talking about phrases that are wrong again.” Morgan quickly covered up.

Hallie smiled and threw herself into her chair and swung side to side again. “Oooh, like when people say to find the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Rainbows are actually circular, so there is no end. The horizon hides the other side of it from us.”

Morgan and Emily shook their heads as they watched the two out of the sides of their eyes. How they couldn’t see that they were made for each other they will never know.


End file.
